File Name: HowtoConfigureEmailTemplates.pdf
File Size: 1.42 MB
File Type: Application/pdf
Last Modified: 5 years
Status: Available
Last checked: 7 days ago!
This Document Has Been Certified by a Professional
100% customizable
Language: English
We recommend downloading this file onto your computer
Version 1.0This document describes the Email Message Template Editor feature and provides instructions forconfiguring and working with each of its components
This document is intended for tenant admin users
Appendix A: Do’s and Don’ts of editing HTML messages Email Message Best Practices Quick Reference Starfish Best Practice Email Templates for EARLY ALERT HTML code examples that can be pasted into templates (BasicHTML.txt) Purpose................................................................................................................................................... 1Related Resources .................................................................................................................................. 1About the Email Message Template Editor ............................................................................................. 3Settings ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Address fields ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Subject Prefix....................................................................................................................................... 5 System Email Header and Footer ......................................................................................................... 5Snippets .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Create a snippet .................................................................................................................................. 6 Search for snippets .............................................................................................................................. 7 Edit copy or delete snippets ................................................................................................................. 7Templates ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Create a template ................................................................................................................................ 9 Add Properties ................................................................................................................................. 9 Add Header.................................................................................................................................... 10 Add Message ................................................................................................................................. 11 Template Fields ................................................................................................................................. 12 Insert a field................................................................................................................................... 12 Edit an inserted template field ....................................................................................................... 14 Working with existing templates........................................................................................................ 14 Editable vs. Read Only templates ................................................................................................... 15 Search and filter templates ............................................................................................................ 16 Preview and send sample templates .............................................................................................. 16 Edit, copy or delete templates ....................................................................................................... 17Advanced Fields .................................................................................................................................... 17 Edit, copy or delete advanced fields ................................................................................................... 20Appendix A: Dos and Don’ts of editing HTML messages ....................................................................... 22 Copy/Paste ........................................................................................................................................ 22 HTML formatting ............................................................................................................................... 22 Bulleted lists ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Images ............................................................................................................................................... 23Document Version History .................................................................................................................... 24© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 2 of 24 The Email Message Template Editor puts the power of highly customizable email messages in yourtenant admin’s hands, replacing the prior method that required you to work through your Starfishimplementation manager when making changes to your email notification templates
This feature is reached via the Message Templates section of the AdminmenuThe Email Message Template Editor includes four components that worktogether to allow you to create customized email messages that you canassign to relevant Starfish activities such as raising tracking items, launchingprogress surveys, or making appointments. Each of the followingcomponents is covered in greater detail in its own section of this document: 1. Settings: Global default values for messages sent from Starfish
2. Snippets: Custom reusable text that can be included in templates
3. Templates: Defined message layouts that include at a minimum 1) a from address, 2) a subject, and 3) a message body. Templates may also include html links, variable field values (template fields), snippets or advanced field content
4. Advanced Fields: criteria-based content that can be included in templates
The message template editor allows you to preview and send samples of templates – including thoseyou’ve created, as well as old templates created by your implementation manager and Starfish defaulttemplates that are included in all Starfish tenants. This functionality is covered in more detail in theWorking with existing templates section
Select Settings from within the Message Templates section of the Admin menu todisplay the Configure System Email Settings page
From here you can view and edit the global default settings for your Starfishsystem’s email templates. These settings are used for all emails sent from Starfish
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 3 of 24 Current values will be displayed in each of the fields presented. Make any desired updates and click theSave button to update your settings
Changes made here will impact all emails sent from Starfish after the changes have been made. Theremay be a brief delay before your changes take effect (a few minutes). See the following sections formore information on System Email Settings: Address Fields Subject Prefix System Email Header and FooterCurrent values for your tenant are displayed in the address fields. You can edit the values to any validlyformatted email address
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 4 of 24 These default address values are used on any emails where the individual template does not have itsown value for these fields, or when the template value cannot be used (for example if the flag raiser isspecified as the from address in the template but the template is used with a system-raised flag)
• Default From Email Address is required
• Default Reply-To Email Address is optional, but is useful for specifying a single email address to handle replies initiated by students or staff to Starfish emails
• Default BCC Email Address is optional and not used frequently at the global level
The current value for Subject Prefix is displayed in this field. This value is optional but is recommendedfor identifying and branding notifications coming from your Starfish System
: Use [Subject Prefix] to set the prefix off from the rest of the message subject
This value will be included on all emails sent from Starfish. This prefix cannot be replaced on a template by template basis
System Email Header and System Email Footer are optional. Current values are displayed, but may beblank
General formatting (e.g. bold, italic) can be included in yourheader and footer. Links to a web page or web image can beincluded also
Header or footer content specified here will be included on all emails sent from Starfish. You cannot replace the system header or footer on individual templatesA snippet is a named block of text that can be included in a message template orin an advanced field. This can save time and effort if you have repetitive content
Select Snippets from the Message Templates section of the Admin menu todisplay the Manage Snippets page
See the following sections for information about how to use the Manage Snippetspage to: Create a snippet Search for snippets by name or description, Edit copy or delete existing snippets
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 5 of 24 1. Click the Create Snippet button. The Create Snippet page is displayed 2. Enter the Name and Description for your snippet. Name is required
Although Description is not required, it is highly recommended to help keep track of the purpose and contents of each snippet. Both fields are displayed on the Manage Snippets page, and are included when you use the search feature. They are also displayed in the drop down list when selecting a snippet to include in an email template
The list of snippets on the Manage Snippets page can be sorted by snippet name
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 6 of 24 3. Enter and format your snippet Contents
Type directly into the Contents text box, or use copy/paste to paste content from another source. Formatting from another source may be stripped when pasted. See Appendix A for more tips on editing an HTML message
Use the options in the editing bar (e.g. bold, italics and underline) to format your text. You can also include links to a web page or web image address
4. Click the Save button
The new snippet is now available to be included in your templates. Snippets you create will be listed in alphabetic order by name on the Manage Snippets page
Use the text box on the Manage Snippets page to identify your search criteria
When you click the Search button, the results will include those snippets whose name or description (orcombination of name and description) matches all the words that you entered. If you can’t find thesnippet you are looking for, try reducing the number of search words
You can edit, copy, or delete your snippets using one of the icons listed to the right of the snippet on theManage Snippets page
Edit: Use the edit icon to modify an existing snippet
Copy: Use the copy icon to create a copy of an existing snippet that can be edited
Delete: Select the delete icon (x in a circle) to delete a snippet
If you attempt to delete a snippet that is in use in any templates, you will receive an error message indicating that you cannot delete the snippet
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 7 of 24 Hover over the number listed for the snippet in the“Used in Templates” column to display the names of thetemplates that are using the snippet
You will need to edit each of the templates listed toremove the snippet from within the body of thetemplate before deleting the snippet itself
A template defines the format and content to be used whenan email is sent from Starfish
As part of feature configuration, you attach templates toeach event that triggers an email
For example, you might attach the “Attendance ConcernStudent Template” to the student role on an attendance flag(illustrated right)
Select Templates from the Message Templates section of the Admin menu todisplay the Manage Templates page
See the following sections for more information on how to use the ManageTemplates page to: Create a template Work with existing templates
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 8 of 24 1. Click the Create Message Template button from the Manage Templates page. This opens the Properties step of the Create Message Template wizard
2. Select a value for Message Type from the drop down list
The message type defines the type of activity to which you can attach the template. For example, if you select “Raise Flag” as the type, this template can be used for email notifications associated with raising a flag. Each template can have only one type
3. Enter the Name for the template. Use a name that will make this template easy to identify within your template library and one that defines its purpose
: Include the intended recipient roles as part of the name. (E.g. to Student, for Advisors, Instructor, Staff) 4. Enter the Description for the template. A description is not required, but is highly recommended
: Use a description that helps you to remember why you created this particular template/how it is intended to be used. Include in the description things like whose email appears as the “from” address, whether or not comments are included, or what other fields or snippets it includes
Both the name and description will be presented to a tenant admin user when selecting templates to be associated with an item
5. Click the Next button. The Header step of the wizard is displayed
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 9 of 24 6. Update the From and Reply-to email addresses. The email addresses you specified in your global message template settings will auto populate in their respective fields in the template
You can override those defaults by typing a different email address in the desired field, or by selecting the Role option from the drop down associated with each address field
When you select Role from the drop down associated with the From field, the text box associated with this field is replaced with a drop down list that includes available roles from whom the template could be sent
For example, flag raise templates may be configured to be sent from the person who raised the flag, or the instructor associated with the course related to the flag
Use these options with consideration for their intended use. For example, do not use the Flag Raiser option for templates that will be attached to system-raised flags; do not use the instructor option if the template will be used for flags where there may not be a course context, or where there may be multiple instructors associated with the flagged course
7. Enter a Subject for the template. A subject is required for all templates
The subject you type here will follow the subject prefix set in your message template settings (visible when you preview the template)
Your subject can include plain text and/ or fields, such as the student name, flag name, or course name. Click the Insert Field icon ({…}) to add fields. (See the section titled Template Fields)
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 10 of 24 8. Click the Next button. The Message step of the wizard is displayed
9. Enter content for the body of your Email Message Template. The message body can include HTML text and hyperlinks. See Appendix A for more tips on editing an HTML message
Additionally you can include template fields, snippets and advanced fields. Each of these options has a distinct purpose and workflow: Template Fields are variables created/ edited as part of each template. Each field can include prefix and suffix text, and alternative text to be used if the variable is null. Click the Insert Field icon to select from a list of available fields. Add desired text and insert the field into your template. (See the Template Fields section for details)
Snippets are created/ edited outside of a template. Snippets provide for reuse of common content across templates. Click the Insert Snippet icon to select a snippet and insert a placeholder for the snippet into your template. (See the Snippets section for details)
Advanced Fields are created/ edited outside of a template. Advanced fields allow for criteria-based content within an email template. Click the Insert Advanced Field icon to select an advanced field and insert a placeholder for the advanced field into your template. (See the Advanced Fields section for details)
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 11 of 24 10. Enter content to be used for an SMS Message (text message). If students have opted to receive Starfish emails via mobile phone, this is the version of the message that will be sent. Template fields and snippets can be included, but the template should be kept to 140 characters or less
11. Click the Finish button to save your template
Within the subject and body of your email or SMS text message, you can include variable fields such asthe student’s name, tracking item name, or relevant course name
A field in a message template behaves like a mail merge field in a word processor. When a message issent using the template, each field will be replaced with appropriate data that is specific to theindividual message. You can customize each field by including: a prefix to appear before the field value in your template, a suffix to appear after the field value in your template, or alternative text to be displayed when the field value is null
1. Click the Insert Field icon. ( ) This opens the field selection dialog page (illustrated below) where you can select and customize the display of a field
2. Select a field to insert from the list displayed on the left. The fields available are dependent on the template type selected during template creation (see Add Properties)
When you select a field, it is displayed in the field preview box below the list of fields
© 2013, 2014 Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. | Proprietary and Confidential Page 12 of 24
The Email Message Template Editor puts the power of highly customizable email messages in your tenant admin [s hands, replacing the prior method that required you to work through your …
An email message consists of headers and a payload. Headers must be RFC 5322 style names and values, where the field name and value are separated by a colon. The colon is not part of either the field name or the field value.
When is email the appropriate form of communication to use? Email is a good way to get your message across when: You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone, does not come to campus regularly, or is not located in the same part of the country or world (for instance, someone who lives in a different time zone).
Email is a good way to get your message across when: You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone, does not come to campus regularly, or is not located in the same part of the country or world (for instance, someone who lives in a different time zone). The information you want to share is not time-sensitive.
A backup copy of your email is always stored on a server where it can be easily retrieved by interested parties, even when you have deleted the message and think it is gone forever. Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily misconstrued.